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1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 6 

2. Acknowledgements ................................................................................... 8 

3. Implementation of ATI Act ........................................................................ 10 

4. ATI Policy & Practices ............................................................................... 11

5. Interpretation .......................................................................................... 18

6. Recommended Practices & Procedures ...................................................  20

  I Receipt & Clarification of Applications for Access to Official Document...... 21

  II Treatment of Applications for Access to Official Documents ....... ........... 23

  III Acknowledgment of Receipt of Applications ......................................... 25

  IV Recommended Procedure for Making Information Available ................. 26

  V Procedure Where the Request is Large and/or Complex ....................... 28

  VI Procedure for the Determination of the Status of

    Document(s) Requested ......................................................................... 29

  VII Procedure Where the Request is for an Official

    Document Which is Non-Exempt ............................................................. 31

  VIII Procedure Where the Request is for an Official

    Document Which is Exempt .................................................................... 33

  IX Procedure Where the Request is for an Official

    Document Which Contains Exempt Matter ............................................. 34

  X Points to Note on the Application of Exemptions .................................. 35

  XI Points to Note on the Interpretation of Public Interest ....................... 37

  XII Procedure Where the Request is for an Official

    Document the Release of Which has to be Deferred ............................. 39

  XIII Procedure Where the Request is for an Official Document Which
cannot be Found, Does Not Exist or  Has Been Legally Destroyed ............ 40

  XIV Points to Note on Access to Information and Retention/

    Disposal Schedules ................................................................................ 41

7. Transfer of Applications .......................................................................... 42

9. Disclosure of Personal Information & Third Party Notification ................. 47

  I Disclosure of Personal Information & Third Party Notification ................. 48

  II Points to Note on the Disclosure of Personal

    Information and Third Party Notification.................................................. 49 

10. Procedures for Public Authorities not Currently under

the Access to Information Act .................................................................... 51 

  I Treatment of Applications Made to Entities to Which

    the Act is not Currently Applicable.......................................................... 52

11. Internal Review & Appeal to Appeal Tribunal ....................................... 54

  I Procedures for Internal Review ............................................................. 55

  II Procedures for Appeals to Appeal Tribunal........................................... 57

12. The Appeal Tribunal & Secretariat ........................................................ 59

  I Composition of Appeal Tribunal ............................................................. 60

  II Appeal Tribunal Secretariat .................................................................. 61

13. Computation of Time ............................................................................ 62

14. Costs for Reproduction of Official Documents ....................................... 65

  I Points to Note on Costs ........................................................................ 66

  II Applicable Costs for Reproduction ....................................................... 67

15. Documents of General Public Interest ................................................. 68

  I Types of Applications to Expect & Documents of

    General Public Interest ......................................................................... 69

16. Additional Relevant Considerations .................................................... 70

  I Some Measures to Avoid Delays in the Handling of  Applications ........ 71

  II Scope of Public Servant's Notes ......................................................... 73

17. Special Considerations for Particular Public Authorities ............ ......... 75

18. ATI & the Law of Copyright ................................................................ 79

  I Copyright Considerations .................................................................... 80

  II Recommendations on the Treatment of Copyright

    Protected Material in the Context of the ATI Act .................................. 82

  III Copyright & Website Publications .................................................... 83

19. ATI & Records/Information Management ........................................... 86

  I Recommended Practices for Information & Records Management ....... 87

  II Points to Note on Access to Information and

    Retention/Disposal Schedules ............................................................. 92

APPENDIX I - FORMS

  i. Application Forms ................................................................................ 96

  ii. Certificate of Exemption ................................................................... 100

  iii. Response Form Letters A - G ........................................................... 101 

  vi. Memorandum of Attestation ............................................................ 121

  vii. Declaration of Copyright ................................................................. 122 

APPENDIX II - INTERNAL RECORDS

  i. Statement of Organisation & Functions ............................................. 125

  ii. Internal Processing Form .................................................................. 128

  iii. Quarterly Report Form ..................................................................... 131

APPENDIX III - GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER

  i. The ATI Road Map of Phase 1 Entities ............................................... 135

APPENDIX IV - PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

  i. A User's Guide to the ATI ACT............................................................ 154

APPENDIX V - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  i. Related Statutes ............................................................................... 174

  ii. Recommended Websites & Reading Materials.................................. 175

APPENDIX VI - ACCESS TO INFORMATION LEGISLATION

  i. The Access to Information Act, 2002................................................. 178

  ii. The Access to Information (Amendment) Act, 2003.......................... 195

  iii. The Access to Information Regulations, 2003...................................196

  iv. The Access to Information (Appointed Day Notice), 2004 ................ 206

  v. The Access to Information (Specified Public Authorities)

    Order, 2004..........................................................................................207

  vi. The Access to Information (Costs for the Reproduction of

    Official Documents) Regulations 2004 ..................................................208

APPENDIX VII - ACCESS TO INFORMATION LAWS AROUND THE WORLD.. 209